JOHANNESBURG, Nov 21 (Reuters) - South Africa's third

biggest grocery retailer Pick n Pay is banking on

staple grocery items to drive sales among cautious consumers in

the crucial shopping month of November leading up to the holiday

season.

The retailer has expanded its early Black Friday deals to

prioritise everyday staples in response to a growing trend among

shoppers to prioritise essential purchases during the annual

sales event, it said in a statement.

Its decision is paying off as over just three days from last

Friday to Sunday, when it launched its early deals, Pick n Pay

sold enough sugar to sweeten over 70 million cups of coffee and

enough rice to serve over two million meals, the retailer added.

Since the launch of its early deals, Pick n Pay said it is

already seeing strong customer support for the promotional items

in-store and across its online platforms.

Basic staple items like sugar, rice, toilet paper, and

nappies were the major contributors. Shoppers are also buying

cool drinks and cereals.

Its own private label was one of the top-selling brands, it

added.

"Black Friday has evolved from a frenzy of splurging into a

highly anticipated savings opportunity," Tessa Chamberlain,

Marketing Director at Pick n Pay said.

"Many customers now carefully plan their shopping lists to

make the most of the deals, and we work nearly a year in advance

with suppliers to ensure we deliver unbeatable value that helps

households stretch their budgets."

The retailer also has deals running for general merchandise

items, ranging from electronics to big appliances and homeware,

which remain popular for some.

Pick n Pay is the first major retailer to provide insight in

how consumers are spending so far during the month long Black

Friday shopping period, a critical sales driver for the sector

ahead of the holiday season.

Retailers including Pick n Pay, Walmart ( WMT ) owned

Massmart, Amazon.com ( AMZN ), Shoprite and Woolworths

kicked off the holiday shopping season earlier than

usual, offering deals on goods ranging from toys and food to

household items.

($1 = 18.1197 rand)